Excadrill (Analysis)

[Overview]
<p>While often perceived to be "broken" in standard OU, Excadrill struggles slightly in VGC 2011 due to the lack of auto-Sandstorm and the abundance of Fighting- and Ground-type attacks, as well as the presence of Chandelure and Jellicent.</p>

<p>Earthquake is Excadrill's most reliable STAB, but Drill Run hits only one target and is slightly more powerful because of it (80 base power compared to Earthquake's 75 per target). Rock Slide hits flying types, and X-Scissor hits Hydreigon and Psychic-types that aren't hurt much by either Earthquake or Rock Slide. Excadrill can Protect to stall out TR or stave off a fatal attack for one turn.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Even with 64 Attack EVs, Excadrill has a very respectable 179 Attack. The extra bulk allows Excadrill to survive Earthquake from Adamant Landorus, Heat Wave from Modest Chandelure, and Close Combat from Adamant Terrakion with the aid of Chople Berry. This set can be used in Sandstorm, but a simple EV spread of 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe with Focus Sash is preferred.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Brick Break can help against Scrafty, but Scrafty and other Fighting-weak Pokemon will often carry Chople Berry to negate it. Air Balloon allows Excadrill to avoid Earthquakes, but it reveals to the opponent that Excadrill has neither Focus Sash nor a resist berry. Horn Drill and Fissure can allow Excadrill to quickly defeat Pokemon that Earthquake and Rock Slide fail to, such as Landorus and Jellicent. Obviously having a partner (such as HP Ice Thundurus or Eelektross) to deal with those two instead is preferable, but the OHKO moves can be used as a last-ditch effort. Smooth Rock can be used if Excadrill is running Sandstorm, but given its vulnerability to common moves, Excadrill should focus on making the most of the time it can use Sandstorm rather than increasing the length of the Sandstorm. Lastly, Swords Dance is usable, though it is unsafe.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Landorus does up to 99% to bulky Excadrill with Earthquake and Excadrill can't do much damage in return, barring a successful Horn Drill. Similarly, Conkeldurr and Scrafty can Drain Punch Excadrill, negating any damage Excadrill does to either of them. Chandelure will OHKO with Flamethrower, as will Modest Life Orb Hydreigon with Fire Blast, though Excadrill can deal good damage to each if it survives with Focus Sash.</p>

Disagree with Drill Run slash. 5 Base Power is a negligible difference. The only advantage is a higher criticle hit ratio. But many people will prefer to hit 2 oppoents. Can you prove how the 5 point difference matters. Also speed is more important than Hp. I sugest balancing them out more so you can survive mach punch from Conkledurr and still outspeed many pokemon (easier if you can get sandstorm up.) And attack should be at the max it can be. The spread still allows for another point or 2 into it.

For items I really don't like your ideas. Focus Slash will only really be good if you expect Conkledurr to OHKO you with Hammer Arm and unsure but maybe Mach Punch. It has other uses but it is not the best. Though it is better than the resist items. Air Balloon should be slashed. I don't know if you realize it but Earthquake is really common and very easy to kill Excadrill with. Many pokes will run it and it is easier to force them to waste a turn and pop the balloon than having them spam earthquake right away. Also protect (I believe) will protect your balloon. So first turn you send it out you protect while the opponent Double targets to hit it with Earthquake they fail and you have a free attack with your partner.

In a sandstorm, Excadrill will outspeed everything anyway, and if not, it's not getting anything from those extra Speed EVs. He did have Shuca slashed, which makes Excadrill neutral to Earthquake for a turn, so I think it's safe to say he does realize Earthquake is pretty common. He already detailed why Air Balloon is suboptimal, and you seem to be forgetting that a message displays when a Pokemon with an Air Balloon hits the field. A Focus Sash is important because Excadrill is pretty frail.

True true but most people either have a levitater, flyer, or protect ready for that reason (Or even wide guard). I only read that the reason not to run air balloon is that it reveals no sash/resist berry. But a temporary resist berry or something that will grant temporary immunity which would you choose. My comment about Earthquake being obvious was slightly harsh but I believe most people would go for the immunity. I don't believe the oppoent will have a way to take advantage of no slash right away.

I will relent if it is explained very well why air balloon is at a disadvantage. Just because it revelas you don't resist or Sash doesn't mean anything if you wind up being immune instead of resisting. No matter what they all are up for 1 turn usually. Though protect extends the length obviously.

Also I see the speed ev's now. Kind of.
Edit: Testing as I type and will say how well it works when I am done.

I never really liked Air Balloon. Yeah, it grants a ground immunity, but it also broadcasts to the whole world that you have it (and not Focus Sash or Chople or any other item that could screw them harder). Unless the opponent is retarded (or playing on a sim >_>), that Earthquake immunity won't be anything more than a minor inconvenience to them, as there are plenty of ways to subvert Air Balloon to hit Excadrill with an Earthquake anyway. I'd rather take a half power Earthquake with Shuca and be left at about 40% than get gimped by a faster Rock Slide or Quick Attack or something and have to take a fatal full powered Earthquake.

But I know that Air Balloon is a common item on Excadrill nonetheless, which is why I gave it a mention in other options. I'm still iffy about putting it on the main set, even to replace Shuca. I'll consider it, though.

Edit: To put it another way, Air Balloon is a lot like Focus Sash, except it only prevents you from getting OHKOed by ground attacks from full health. Air Balloon is fairly legit for partner-related shenanigans, but against the opponent's Earthquakes I'd really rather just use Focus Sash or Shuca.

I never really liked Air Balloon. Yeah, it grants a ground immunity, but it also broadcasts to the whole world that you have it (and not Focus Sash or Chople or any other item that could screw them harder). Unless the opponent is retarded (or playing on a sim >_>), that Earthquake immunity won't be anything more than a minor inconvenience to them, as there are plenty of ways to subvert Air Balloon to hit Excadrill with an Earthquake anyway. I'd rather take a half power Earthquake with Shuca and be left at about 40% than get gimped by a faster Rock Slide or Quick Attack or something and have to take a fatal full powered Earthquake.

But I know that Air Balloon is a common item on Excadrill nonetheless, which is why I gave it a mention in other options. I'm still iffy about putting it on the main set, even to replace Shuca. I'll consider it, though.

Edit: To put it another way, Air Balloon is a lot like Focus Sash, except it only prevents you from getting OHKOed by ground attacks from full health. Air Balloon is fairly legit for partner-related shenanigans, but against the opponent's Earthquakes I'd really rather just use Focus Sash or Shuca.

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I still believe it should be on the main set exspecially when partners have earthquake. Instead of wasting a turn protecting you could do 2 Earthquakes at a time leading to a bettter chance of ko'ing, well assuming your partner is immune to earhquake of course. I agree focus sash is viable and so is air balloon. But I would debate the berries.

Can you answer what the berries allow you to survive necessairly. That would be good to include.

I still believe it should be on the main set exspecially when partners have earthquake. Instead of wasting a turn protecting you could do 2 Earthquakes at a time leading to a bettter chance of ko'ing, well assuming your partner is immune to earhquake of course. I agree focus sash is viable and so is air balloon. But I would debate the berries.

Can you answer what the berries allow you to survive necessairly. That would be good to include.

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shuca lets it survive landorus's, haxorus's, krookodile's, and golurk's earthquake.
Chople lets it survive Conkeldurr's mach punch or scrafty's drain punch (im pretty sure).
Air Balloon is not a good idea with these conditions:
1) Fake Out
2) Priority in general
3) Spread moves

But on Vgc page http://www.pokemonvgc.com/en/regulations it states
"Only items acquired in Pokémon Black Version or White Version, or received at an official Pokémon event or promotion, may be used."
I believe that means that Items in Black or White, and Items from event pokemon or giveways unless I am mistaken. And the berries are fiven out over PGL unless I am mistaken.

Also again I will point out that Drill Run is not good on Excadrill. Multi hit > 2x Crit Hit ratio.

But on Vgc page http://www.pokemonvgc.com/en/regulations it states
"Only items acquired in Pokémon Black Version or White Version, or received at an official Pokémon event or promotion, may be used."
I believe that means that Items in Black or White, and Items from event pokemon or giveways unless I am mistaken. And the berries are fiven out over PGL unless I am mistaken.

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The Dream World is an official event/promotion, if they gave out a Snivy (random example) over Wifi would you say it's not allowed because that's not an event or promotion?

PGL/DW=Event/"Promotion"/Giveaway

We've already said why Drill Run is viable, you don't want to hurt your partner sometimes, and that forces you to either run a Pokemon with Levitate, Telepathy, or Air Balloon, and we've also gone over why Air Balloon is not the best choice.

Excadrill's Speed EVs should be maxed so that it can out-speed Jellicent, (Modest) Chandelure, Krookidile, and other Pokémon that would otherwise be out-sped without speed increase factored in due to Tailwind. Chople Berry is also the most important item on Excadrill because Fighting moves are the most dangerous to Excadrill from what I have seen. Surviving that Guts Mach Punch is important as well as any Drain Punches and even a Close Combat from a Terrakion. This is from a player who has been testing Excadrill since the start of the format. ;)

I'd say sash over Chople, Chople's don't stop a critical hit KO... and drill run is definitely an acceptable alternative over Earthquake because of your partner or you don't want to do that split damage.

Moderator

With the new defensive spread, Chople Berry be the main slash and no Focus Sash. Very few attacks can now OHKO Excadrill (it's even guaranteed survival against Timid Jellicent's Water Spout without a Water Gem.)

You should mention in AC any partners that can be used who can effectively set up Sandstorm (such as Accelgor).

This set can be used in Sandstorm, but a simple EV spread of 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe with Focus Sash is preferred.

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Wouldn't it be better to just shift 36 Atk EVs into Spe, to enable Excadrill to outrun Timid Jellicent supported by Tailwind? Anything else that is faster than Tailwind Jellicent will either outrun max Speed Adamant Excadrill (mainly other Pokemon that are used alongside Tailwind like Terrakion) or very rare Choice Scarf users. In the case of those Choice Scarf users (Terrakion and Landorus are the only ones you would probably see), they are much rarer than Mach Punch, where the bulk and Chople Berry will be more useful, and thanks to Excadrill's bulky spread, none of these Scarfers can OHKO.